The End of Procrastination: How to Stop Postponing and Live a Fulfilled Life

Are you REALLY good at making plans and writing lists, but REALLY bad at achieving the goals you set for yourself?

Change it all in 2019 with The End Of Procrastination

There were a few goals I had in mind for 2018. Work ones, personal ones, long-term ones and short-term ones. Whilst I achieved some of them, others I just thought about, pushed down a list, avoided and I now feel a bit sh*t for not achieving them. Were they impossible, unachievable tasks? Nope. So, why didn’t I just get my arse into gear and get them done?

The End Of Procrastination isn’t all about changing the mindset of procrastinators, instead, it begins with why we do it in the first place. For me, this was one of the most interesting parts of the book and helped me understand why I don’t Nike my life every day and ‘Just Do It!.’ I tend to save things until tomorrow and start a fresh list for the 33rd time with internal rationale such as “I’ll start fresh tomorrow when I’m more focused”, or “I don’t have any meetings tomorrow, so I’ll have more time”, or “I’ll book that after payday”.

There are a couple of reasons and explanations for this kind of behaviour, and reading The End Of Procrastination made me realise that it wasn’t just me being lazy. Sometimes, there are just too many options (take a wander down the biscuit aisle at Tesco’s and you’ll know exactly what I mean). The time I take to decide whether a Big Mac or a Quarter Pounder with Cheese is the better option over the years is a testament to that, and the principle remains the same when it comes to other decisions which need to be made. You want to make the right choice each time and when there are so many options, how do you know which is the right one?

So What Is The Best Way To Kick Those Goals?

Ever thought that setting goals can be the problem? The End of Procrastination: How to Stop Postponing and Live a Fulfilled Life authors, Petr Ludwig and Adela Schicker, explore the idea that setting goals can often lead to indecision and living in a hamster loop (it’s in the book and a real a-ha! moment). This little square book encourages you to think about what you want out of life and set milestones constantly along the way. By doing this and not setting one goal to be achieved, you are in a constant state of happiness and feelings of achievement.

Think about when you purchased your first car, how wonderful it felt to enjoy the independence and pride of passing your drivers test. When you think about your car now, you may well feel a bit flat; it may need an expensive service, or the cost of insurance and tolls has started to hit your pocket hard. You no longer feel excited and independent sitting in a traffic jam late for work while the kids are screaming on the back seat. The feeling of achievement needs to be small and often, too keep your motivation up and keep you going.

Duffy’s Thoughts On The End Of Procrastination

I got a lot out of The End Of Procrastination and will certainly be implementing some of the tools in both my work and personal life. Theories are based on scientific study and the 8 practical tools laid out in this book can be dipped in and out of when and if you start to head off track. The illustrations are fun and the unusual small square shape of the book means it can happily sit on your desk without intruding. If you enjoyed Unf*ck Yourself by Gary John Bishop, you’ll very much enjoy this read.

Maybe you’ll start to notice some of these positive changes in blog and posts during 2019!

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